


Three Things Jamie Taught Nick About Knives

by clavicular



Category: Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-10
Updated: 2010-11-10
Packaged: 2017-10-13 04:04:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/132646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clavicular/pseuds/clavicular
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Jamie sort of likes knives and Nick sort of likes kissing boys. They sort themselves out eventually.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Things Jamie Taught Nick About Knives

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: mild, consensual knifeplay
> 
> Thanks to lastwingedthing and vociferocity for looking this over for me.

1\. _They change the way people feel._

Nick snorts when Jamie says it.

"Sure," he agrees. "Before I take them out, people feel safe. Afterwards, they feel like doing whatever I tell them."

Jamie grins slightly, the most Nick's ever seen him smile when surrounded by so many sharp objects. He weighs the knife Nick gave him in his hand.

"You know what I mean, though," he says. "They make you feel different."

Nick says nothing. He doesn't know where Jamie is going with this. He's not sure Jamie knows either. After a moment, Jamie shrugs.

"It's not just a weapon, is it? It makes you feel... I don't know." He laughs. "Powerful?"

And he doesn't even _need_ to point out the innuendo.

Nick smirks. "I don't need knives to feel powerful."

Jamie snorts. "Of course not," he says, and then in a stage whisper, "it's nothing to be ashamed of, you know. Lots of men require the use of... external aids."

Nick just rolls his eyes and says, "I'm not one of them. Haven't we covered this?"

Then he takes the knife off Jamie and makes him practice falling for another half an hour.

"Ow," Jamie says, picking himself up for the thirty-second time. And Nick knows Jamie's been counting too. Nick grins and passes him his knife back.

"Keep it up," Nick says cheerfully, "Learn this and you'll be able to carry out all your plans for my slow, painful demise."

"I'll improvise," Jamie grumbles.

Nick shows him how to hold the knife correctly, how it should feel when he moves it, and then upon request, his "scary knife-to-the-neck hold of death, no you don't need to demonstrate on me!" Jamie's dreadful at pretty much all of it, but at least he's regarding the knife with slightly less abject horror.

As they're packing up, Jamie pauses, looking back down at the knife in his hand.

"It's a different kind of power, though, isn't it?" he says.

It takes Nick a moment to figure out what he's talking about. Then he frowns. He doesn't see why it matters.

"Without the knife, you're just a guy," Jamie goes on. He grins faintly, and adds, "A tall, dark, terrifying guy, yes. But still." Jamie shifts slightly. "It's a symbol. Suddenly people know _why_ they're afraid."

Nick's still frowning. "It doesn't matter why."

"It matters that they know it, though." He's shifting again.

"Why?" Nick asks, and then-

It's not all of a sudden, Nick can read it in every line of his body, but he lets Jamie pin him to the wall anyway. His eyes flicker down to the knife at his throat.

"It matters because power doesn't come from what you do," Jamie says. "It comes from what someone else thinks you could."

Jamie is wrong, Nick thinks. Nick doesn't believe he could press the knife in closer, doesn't believe he could cut deeper into his skin. He knows Jamie won't. Nick still can't look away from his eyes.

"You're holding it wrong," he says. And the moment's gone.

Jamie glares at him. "How do you know? How can you possibly know that? You can't even see my hands! Even you are not that good."

"Lucky guess."

Jamie gives him a mournful look, but steps back and allows Nick to inspect his grip. It is, indeed, wrong.

"So why _do_ you like them so much, then?" Jamie asks. He's trying unsuccessfully to mimic the hold Nick's showing him.

Nick shrugs. "When I get angry, I want to hurt people. Knives help." Then he stops. "Were you just trying to make me talk about myself?" he asks.

"Believe me, I wish I hadn't."

Nick glares at him. "Did you just trick me into talking about my feelings _using knives?_ "

At that, Jamie grins. "I am like a ninja!" he says. "A sneaky, feelings ninja!"

Nick snorts. "You are about as sneaky as a ninja who is _on fire._ "

Jamie just smiles smugly at him, and Nick tries not to look at the knife in his hands.

 

2\. _You don't have to use them to do damage._

Nick blinks, and asks Jamie to repeat himself, but it still doesn't make any sense.

"One of your magical powers?" he asks.

Jamie laughs. "No. One of yours."

Then he throws three knives at a tree with reasonable technique but appalling accuracy, and Nick is distracted making sure nothing important was hit.

"We cleared the area!" Jamie protests.

"Not enough," Nick replies, and forgets the whole conversation.

*

Three days later, they're attacked. It's not even magicians, just some idiot kids following a rumour they only half understand.

"He's a demon!" the leader warns Jamie. "The Antichrist, sent from Hell to bring about the end of the world!"

Jamie looks like he's fighting not to laugh. Then one of them pulls out a gun.

"Stand back," he says.

"Yes, stand back, Jamie" Nick agrees. Jamie doesn't move.

Nick smirks at the boy with the gun. "If you knew anything about demons, you wouldn't be bothering with that."

"Don't hurt him," Jamie says, and then when the leader opens his mouth, he adds, "no, not you."

He turns to Nick. "I'm sure we can talk about this. They look like reasonable people."

The leader opens his mouth again.

"I really hope you are about to agree with me," Jamie says. "Trust me, so do you."

The boy smiles nastily. "Not quite. You see, we _do_ know a few things about demons."

He pulls something from his pocket and thrusts it towards Nick. It's a talisman. The rest of the group are holding out their own. He finally understands the dull ache that's been running through him since they were surrounded. Still, he smiles lazily.

"Very nice," he says. Then he reaches up to his neck, drawing out his own. "Mine's prettier though, don't you think?"

Uncertainty flickers across their faces, and it's all Nick needs. He lunges at the boy with the gun, sending the weapon flying. There's a struggle, but Nick has the boy trapped beneath him with nowhere to go. And then something hard collides with his face, knocking him sideways. He shouldn't have been caught off guard, but the talismans are dulling his senses, and his head's still spinning when someone lands heavily on top of him. Someone punches him in the face, and then again. He tries to twist around, to throw them off, but he can't move. His frustration is building and he can feel the sky darkening above him. He hopes whoever is punching him can see his smile.

And then someone is yelling something, and the punches stop. The weight on his chest lifts. Nick blinks up at the furious girl glaring down at him. She's quite attractive he thinks foggily, forcing himself, upright.

"Hey, pretty," he says. "I'm not at my best right now, but maybe we could get dinner sometime?"

Predictably, she punches him in the face again.

"I said _stop_ ," Jamie snaps.

Nick spins around, confused.

"That goes for you too," Jamie says, catching Nick's eye.

He's standing behind the leader of the group, one arm wrapped awkwardly around his front, the other holding a knife to his neck.

"Nice work with the distraction, though," Jamie says.

"Distraction? I'll have you know I had them right where I wanted."

Jamie laughs.

And then abruptly, his hostage throws himself backwards. Jamie stumbles but keeps his balance. His grip tightens, and he pushes the knife right up against the boy's neck.

"I don't think so," he hisses.

Then he eases the blade back and draws it slowly downwards, across the boy's chest, coming to rest on his abdomen. Nick's staring. He knows it, and he can't stop.

"I could stab you right here," Jamie says. "Do you know how long it would take you to die?"

The boy says nothing; looks incapable of speech. Nick kind of knows how he feels.

"Tell your friends to back off," Jamie says.

No one moves.

"I'd do what he says," Nick puts in, helpfully.

The boy stares at him for a moment, and then nods. His friends don't need telling twice. They scatter, not looking back. The second Jamie lowers the knife, the boy follows.

Nick watches him go, and then turns back to Jamie, grinning. Jamie looks ill.

"I can't believe I did that," he says.

"Did what? You barely even touched him."

Jamie shakes his head. "That's not it," he says. "I… it doesn't matter."

"I think I'm meant to ask you what's wrong, now," Nick says.

"Probably," Jamie says. "Do you mind if we skip that part, though?"

"Do I mind," Nick echoes.

Jamie takes one look at his face and bursts out laughing.

"Yeah, ok," he says. "Just do me a favour? Don't tell Mae about this."

"Your secret unwillingness to talk about your feelings is safe with me," Nick says. Then he grimaces. "Don't tell Alan, either."

"About _your_ secret unwillingness to talk about your feelings? I hate to break it to you, Nick, but I'm pretty sure he already knows."

 

3\. _Sometimes, they can be two things at once._

Nick doesn't even bother ask Jamie what he's talking about. He doesn't really care, and Jamie's doing that thing where he just keeps talking and doesn't mind if Nick listens or not.

"I mean, look at this," Jamie says, holding up the knife he's been practicing with.

Nick obligingly looks.

"It's a knife," Jamie informs him.

Nick opens his mouth to tell Jamie what a revelation this is.

"No, you make it too easy," he says instead. He smirks. "Although mocking you always is."

"So you say." Jamie frowns. "Just like menacing me." Then he smiles, his expression turned almost predatory. "That's my point."

Nick watches him, watches the way he moves. Jamie hides his intentions better now, but Nick still knows where this is going.

"Knives are used for menacing people," Jamie explains. "When you are menacing me, then the knife is one thing. But if I am menacing you…"

He moves forward, closing the gap between them, but doesn't spring in the way Nick was expecting. He doesn't even raise the knife.

Jamie shrugs. "Then it's something else."

Nick nods slowly. He doesn't understand Jamie's words at all. But Jamie is still looking at him, and Nick thinks he understands this. Very deliberately, he steps backwards, trapping himself against the wall. Jamie hesitates for a moment, and then steps in after him. This time, he does raise the knife.

"I thought friends didn't menace friends with giant terrifying swords," Nick says.

"It's not really a sword though, is it?" Jamie says, softly. "And you're not really terrified."

"I'm a little bit terrified," Nick says. He tries to sound like he doesn't mean it at all.

Jamie smiles. He draws the knife back, spreading his arms in a way that looks like a gesture of peace, and is really a challenge.

Nick kisses him.

He slides his arms around Jamie's waist and pulls him in closer, and then Jamie's kissing back - aggressively, and Nick should have been expecting it but wasn't. His head slams backwards into the wall.

"Sorry," Jamie mutters.

Nick doesn't dignify that with a response.

Jamie's weight is pressing onto Nick. It's like losing a fight and yet nothing like it. And then Nick feels something cold brushing against his hip, and his breathing hitches. He knows without looking that Jamie has the knife blade lying flat against his skin.

Jamie stops kissing him, but doesn't draw back. So close, it's hard to tell, but Nick thinks he might be smiling. Nick feels the knife slide slowly up his chest.

"If you cut my shirt you will regret it."

"Really?" Jamie asks, amused. "Because you aren't the one with the knife."

Still, as the blade moves upwards, Nick can feel his shirt being lifted with it. He raises his arms and allows Jamie to pull it over his head.

"You and your knives," Nick says, grinning. "Compensating for anything?"

He tilts his head back as the blade hovers across his neck.

"No," says Jamie, and kisses him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, look at the awesome [companion art](http://community.livejournal.com/goblinmarket_sw/34284.html?thread=441580#t441580) mimicre drew!


End file.
